ENO: The Pirates of Penzance – Coliseum, London

Writer: W.S Gilbert

Composer: Arthur Sullivan

Director: Mike Leigh

Revival Director: Sarah Tipple

This is ENO’s third revival of Mike Leigh’s The Pirates of Penzance, first performed at the Coliseum in 2015. It’s easy to see why ENO, in its desire to appeal to a broad audience, has gone for a trusty Gilbert and Sullivan warhorse. But this Pirates of Penzance is in no way equivalent to Jonathan Miller’s memorable Mikado. ‘Fresh as paint’ is how the Guardian’s Martin Kettle described the latter’s 14^th revival in 2015.

This Pirates, alas, is a stodgy affair. The odd, brightly coloured set by designer Alison Chitty cuts down the available acting area, giving little opportunity for interesting movement. Francesca Jaynes’ original choreography is frankly dull. The female chorus of Major-General Stanley’s dozen daughters, lumbered with cumbersome costumes, mainly skip around in circles while the Pirates move very little indeed. The exception to this comes towards the end when the rather good chorus of timid policemen stomps around the stage in amusing fashion while a circle of pirate heads appear, peeping round the great circular cut-out that forms the main visual element of the set. Sergeant of Police, ENO veteran James Creswell, is the stand-out, both in his excellent singing and his comic presence.

It is commendable that ENO makes much of its Harewood Artists scheme. Two of the soloists, Isabelle Peters as Mabel and Anna Elizabeth Cooper as Kate, are currently on the scheme, and William Morgan, making his debut as Frederic, the Pirate Apprentice, is a recent alumnus. But there is an issue in this production – and it’s not just with the young soloists – with vocal power. One senses conductor Natalie Murray Beale having to tone down the orchestra in places so that individuals could be heard over them. This is true of Peters at the start, although she finds increasing strength as the show continues. John Savournin as the Pirate King gives an assured performance, but sadly, another ENO veteran, Richard Suart as Major-General Stanley, is noticeably underpowered. We really need the surtitles, particularly in his Modern Major-General patter song, where so many phrases simply get lost.

The piece itself hasn’t aged well. There’s an uncomfortable amount of jokey ageism and sexism around the figure of the middle-aged Ruth, forlornly in love with Frederic, for whom she’s once been nursemaid. And too many of the jokes are laboured. It would take comic genius to bring to live creaky puns of the pilot/pirate and orphan/often variety.

There are, of course, some lovely songs – Mabel’s Poor Wand’ring One and the Policemen’s A Policeman’s Lot is not a Happy One and With Cat-Like Tread with its wonderful Tarantara chorus. So there is still some enjoyment to be had from this Pirates.

Runs until 21 February 2025